davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Foolish Criminals.

The professional criminal, LOOKING az
the subject from the low plane Oh per-
sonal advantage. is certanly weak
minded and short-sighted Individual
There is an element OF idlocy III All
CROOKS" however shre@d or cunning
they may be in the prosecution OF their
nefarious specialt es. They all possess
short-sighted moral vision when
does not enable them TO discern the re-
lation between cause and effect. lie is.
indeed duh pupil whom a hundred
generations of criminal history does
not teach that ''he who sows the wind
shall reap the whirlwind. But still
they go fatuitousy sowing the wind eH.
pecting to garner in their sheaves Of
gentle summer Zephyrs.
That the way Of the transgressor II
hard has been proven as indubitably oy
experience as any proposition III ge-
ometry. Bank burglars. who have heid
in their possession III lions OF stolen
property, almost inevitably come to
the lowest grade of poverty and arc
finally taken and die in conilnement
and disgrace. Expert forgers ana
counterteiters- OF unusual artistic
! skill and cleverness Invariably lose
! their III cotton gains, and die like OUT
| casts in prisons or penitentiarIes, who'
! IL their talents had not been so Voc
fully misspent, might have lived in the
afiiuence which their skill would have
gathered around them. Surely there
is some fatal oblquity in the moral and
Intellectual sion of such men. The
most cunning shrewdness of the crimi-
nal is akin to ID ocy.
The feats of the Jesse James gang
were frequently bold and brilliantly ex-
ecuted but no man Of we'll balanced
mind looking from the low standpoint OF
prudence. would engage in such enter
prises. They subject themselves TO
life of insanity. violence and danger;
and detection and punishment is newt
able. The career Of the notorious
Stain gang in New England forcibly IL
| Illustrates this truth. stain and Crom-
e\well are evidently men Of good abilities
4 Nod some education, who might bave
q atXn med position Of responsibility. Il
notN prominence. in any community.
But Nsy fatuitously pursued another
: course;Nnd now in poverty. and am
he executions Of cool and bad men
| like, theyatand in the shadow OF the
gallows Fpm the days OF C"piaiu
X id to the dss of David Stain i, has
; been proven thousand times that b,
Y who wars on society as a criminal inc
vitality fights losing battle sn'
q marches TO certain defeat
I The fool and the criminal are broth
ers - Yankee Blade
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Novel Writing

In writing his novels Scott never
seemed TO have the slightest idea what
was going to happen, or how it was to
happen, though. as 4 matter of fact, it
generally did happen. deligtfuily if
irregularly enough. ID ckens is suppo,-
schemes, though if any man can ex-
plain TO me what the plot OF Il tile
Dorritt' is; why NJ. 7'uIkmghorn chose
in that entirely irrational and unproiit-
able manner to prosecute LAZY Ded-
lock; why anything no mtaLer what, as
it actually does happen in Hard
Times, happens; and what the sense Of
ESteIIa's general conduct is in Great
Expectations, he will do more than
have ever been able TO do for m self,
or than any one else has been able to
do for me. Thackeray's sins (if in nov
ell writing il be not bias phemy to say
that Thackeray sinned at ALL are gross,
palpable, and for the matter Of that.
confessed by the sinner. la particular,
il any one will try to arrange the chrO-
nology OF the various Pendennis books,
and If his hair does not turn white in
the process, he may be guaranteed
against any necessity for peruke aris-
ing from similarly hopeless ntclectu al
labor.
OF course these things are usually
very small faults, except in cases such
as that where. out OF sheer good nature
and Difference to old fr ends, Scott
spo.lt the finale of st Renan' Well"
cases in which the carelessness or
wiful ind ference to keeping the house
in order really hurts the story. But
they are faults, and think that on the
whole the tendency in average novel
writing during the last twenty years
has been TO correct them. Again, the
average writing of said novels is de-
cidedly better, and generally speaking.
distinct advance has been made in
in the minor details Of craftsmanship.
There are one or two popular writer's
Q could mention one in particular, IL
the object here were not 10 be as little
personal as may be) who still sin flag
rantly in the old direction of taking
fair pains over the first and third vol
ume and f'inging to the public the
slovenliest botch of second that
it is likely to tolerate. But this want
of literary conscience and literary self
respect is much rarer than 4 used to
be, and appears to be regarded by
younger hands especially with proper
disgust - Fortntghtly Rerieto.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Plucky Nellie Bly,.

No young writer has ever leapod in
TO such sudden fame in New York as
Miss Nellie Bly,, who did that lunatic
asylum exposure for the Ne'0 York
World. She is bright handsome
young lady. less than twenty years old,
who came to the metropolis from Pitts
burg few months ago, and pluckily
undertook to make her living by nows-
paper work in the great city. She de-
ceived the expert physicians who ex-
amined her, and pronouncing her in
sane they consigned her to one of the
insane wards of Blackwell's Island.
where she dwelt among horrors for ten
days. noting down in her quick brain
all that she saw and heard. The old
song says:
"Nellle BLY,, shuts her eve
When she goes to sleep"
but she seems never 10 have closed a
pepper during the whole of that trying
ordeal. Her narrative of the horrors
OF the place-the ind ference of doctors.
the neglect and cruelty Of nurses and
the fortunes inflicted upon the unfor-
Inmates. is told in u plain. straightfor'
ward manner and attests at once TO her
humanity and truth. 1t will be strange
il the story of Nellie Blv does impel
some reforms at Blackwell's Island. -
Teras SUtings.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
More Sad Than Funny.

"My dear | think shall JOIN, the
gymnasium this winser." remarked
Mr.. Montgomery the other evening.
Yes remarked Mrs Nontgomer'
absently.
Pm goh to take lessons in wrest
ling" announced hr Nontgomer
positively.
"Wrestng lsssonse What DO yos
want to DC that for, Ferguson?"
so Tllbe able to wrestle with the
coal bill. and Mr.. Montgomery in
dulged il wild. shrieking demoniaca
laughter
N b. The Montgomerys didn't buy
their cod until this week and il cos
them $925 ton, with half dollar ex.
ira for tting it in in baskets. - inns
apoiis JtrnH.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
How Well Marry BY and BY

Marriage is getting to be farce
and divorce plaything." announced
RABBI Henry lliowizi in his paper be-
tore the liberal m II sters YESTERDAY. ut
is In state Of th ngs that caused =
witty lawyer to prepare new formula;
MIR. Smith. he would have the
officiating party say to would-be
bridegroom is It your firm purpose
to make this pleasant lady your wife 80
until you meet one more pleasant
"'lt is.
Miss Jones, you have made up
your mind to be the wife of Mr.. Smith
until you lose your temper and tire OF
him?'
Yes.
Then l pronounce you man ant
wife-until some court shall part
you. '"-Mnneapolis Journal.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30

The January number of Scribner' 5
magazine is veritable treasure troye
George A. Hubbard. young lawyer of
Buffalo, who has shown talent in both
art and literature, contributes an illus
trated story entitled 1.-The End of the
Beginning" The drawing are by the
author and Francis Day. The poetry
is notable, Thomas Bailey Aldrich
contributes poem in his best vein,
entitled white Edith. Andrew Lang.
Charles Edwin Marham. e. +. Cranch
and Graham K. Tomson are among the
other contributors OF verse. The illus
trstions for THE Man at Arms" were
made by f. H. Blashfeld from the
unique collections of military manikins
in the Paris Museum of Artillery, and
also from ola manuscripts, prints and
tombal etfigies. The series of charming
essays which Robert Louis Stevenson
will contribute for 1888 is well under
way, the authors improved health in
the Adirondack region enabling him to
work with comfort. "A Chapter on
Dreams" in the January number will
be succeeded in February by THE
Lantern Bearers" which is said to be
filed with delicate. fancy and delight
full criticism.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
The Sort of Pearl She Was.

At Graceville, Mimi, the other dayl
one OF the boys. who always uses thru
lines and half to register his namls
WAS anx Gus to find out the name of I
new waitress who had been employee
at the house since he was there before.
She came mp to the table to get his
order and, leaning over, he said:
What shall we call you ?"
Pearl, SIR" was the modest reply
Are you the pearl OF great price P
he ventured.
mo, sir" was the quick reioindP J.
IL am one of the pearls cast be.
swine" ,IS,
His nobs finished his dinner in slt, !.
and overlooked dessert entirely. IN
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
MICK

Baron Norwarts has near stavcnha
hagen in becklenburg, an estate OF
abou 5000 acres 1t is ch ely devoted
10 wheat and beet-root, and is worked
by lis owner on form of co operation;
and although the times are bad, he is
still alb e to make good profit on the
capital value of the estate. He is his
own farmer. He pays very small wages
in money, but the laborer is supplied
with a house, "A supply OF corn, piece
Of grazing land. the means Of education
and other advantages which enable
him To live in comfort. The baron is
content with 1 per cent. interest as his
own share; and once in ten years he
divides the remainder Of the profits in
equitable proportions among the peas
antry. At the last division, which TOOK
place in 1884, as much as $500 or $3.50
fell to the share of single family.
This excellent landlord lives among his
people and has so completely identified
himself with their well-boing that the
peasants do not sp az o. the Baron's
wheat or horses" but of our wheat
and "our horses" The Baron believes
that so far as agriculture is concerned
he has discovered the means of harmo-
nizing the interests of capital with those
of lahor
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
About a Brakeman.

A few days ago | was returning
home and had taken my seat in train
on one Of the Western roads. We
were soon bowling merrilY along, and,
as usual. was on the lookout for the
fiend. Presently he appeared. His
first act struck me as unusual. He
closed the door before shouting. The
effect of this would be TO shut out the
whirring, rushing noise of the wheels
rolling over the rails and thus made
his utterance more INTEL z Die. did
not understand why "A railroad brake
man should wish to do that
After closing the door he advanced
to the centre of the car, stopped. clear
ed his throat, and in deliberate. clear,
resonant voice. whose distinct tones
penetrated to every part OF the car. he
cried
Dun kirk. Dun kirk Passengers-for-
the New York Lake Erie and
Western-road- change caI s--Dun kirk!
As he commenced the sentence it was
1 Acurious TO observe the expressions on
\Ae faces OF the seng"rs--surprise,
NMder, and incredibly; as he proceed
% 'hese expressions deepened, and
wA@he had reached the end aud turn
= ed IN saye the car. general hum o!
=" conVeA,Nion ensued. in which could be
- - heard w comments as; We'll,
:, never! Nph, what an elegant brake
: ly P' "He'ANperfect jewel !" An old
Is farmer nudgeaSm and said; "Bub,
&c an apple ~
'e The brakeman td the apple.
= A commercial traSs r on the othe
! side of the aisle handA him cigar
$ saying: You are the i Que of tn
u kind l ever met. 1here a very fin
d HAVANA; smoke it after su&r. -
u A middle-aged lad, told In to wal
4 minute. and, opening her Ncule
j. she took out a handsomely bouA vol
q ume OF Tennyson's poems. and said~h
= hoped he would accept it as a gift fra,
y an admirer
> AS the brakeman thanked her
T. moved toward the door. portly o
l. gentleman touched him OH the ar
> and sa d.:
y What Is your name. sir ?"
II George Plainly" said tho braK
~ man.
>, We'll. MIR Plainly" said the o
u gentleman, Il am happy to know 20
Bertha, this is Mr.. Plainly. Mr.. Hanl
y my daughter. Miss Bertha Specie;
III and, Ms the lady smiled bewitching
. upon him. the old gentleman continues
~ Here is my card. sir; and if you a
ever in New York. l hope you W
u make my house your homo while yC
20 rem. ain in the city. You will be treate
IL as one of the family. Now. mind, 81
ie and do me the honor TO visit u.s. ~
e' The brakeman passed out and Il
. passengers settled themselves in the
10 seats and talked about h m. At ca,
station the experience was repeate
g. and when we had finally reached oil
ID destination, all OF the passengers ha
. made themselves known TO the brak
Is man. He had his pockets full Of Il
~ choicest CARS, dozen books and ma
10 azines, and one old granger give him
; cork screw. We all shook his hand
x parting. and wished him continued su
~ cess in his noble work. Altogether,
=" was a strange experience. and t
~ pleasant memory of it ii linger w
~ me alway s. Morris Waite % Puck
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Regarding Cheese.

Countryman Ito bride. in restauf
How do you like the cheese, MiraG
Bride Crying to eat Schweh
kass)-I don't like it at all. John.
the furst place 1t don't smell right
the second place it's all full o kr
holes. - The Epoch.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Opera Versus Prayer-Meetings

opera eISuS yer-1ee LlnRS.
NANNY gracious! Well be late.
Get yor things on.
Wife-My dear it's raining pitch
forks nd the wind is blowing a hurri-
cane.
Nv have strong umbrellas"
M dress will be ruined. "
War your Waterproof"
nd you know you have cold
"ban wear rubbers; wouldn I mise
thappera for"
''pera7 This is not opera night; us
praer- meeting night"
'h! wonder if our preache, thin ks
peole are idiots enough TO stir out Of
thoouse such night as this. - Ona-
haVorld
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30

An old citizen of Sinclarsville, Pa,
recently in attempting to eat an apple
discovered that his false teeth were miss.
ing. lie at once concluded that he
had swallowed them. and sent for a
doctor. That gentleman made care
ful examination, and was at loss to
know how full set of upper teeth
could slip their moQrings and get down
4 smah throat and into a mans stom-
ach without the subject being aware Of
il. The owner Of the teeth, tormented
with horrible inward sinkings, went to
Buffalo and engaged three consulting
surgeons, insisting that the set of teeth
was killing him, and that he must be
cut open and relieved The gentlemen
had about concluded to comply with
the patients request and resort to the
knife, when telegram came from the
lman's home that the plate, with teeth
intact had been found near his his
house The imagination is certainly a
potent factor when it comes TO weigh
ing the ills that flesh is heir to.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30

.onally from his pony when the latter
Makes mistake and steps in n prair G
~svillage, or to have a collar-bone
He'sn when fifty miles from a physi-
CIV ave some Of the features of cow
boNsNvhich the boys who run away
from Wool to cross the Missouri do
not coR.a,.
MoreoNS't would be well if every
boy in A,Nstea or elsewhere would
write in his Eva hat with blue pencil
that there isN rose -bordered road to
success and thu even the man who i,
born beautiful aYa narries rich has Ia
fight his way. II great West does
not so sorely neet' wetty men with
buckskin clothes as 2 aoes good citi.
Gems who are willing To work. Wher.
ever the sun shines or gks, grows and
water runs, the young IksA who vii
give good days work for%t&r day,
wages will surely be prom@sa as h,
deserves it 1t may not be fuh<y, bu
it is the nevcr-dying truth that \pdus
try. integrity and perseverance, ~
mighty good substitutes for symmetS
genius and hair.-BM Nye. ~ Ne
York. World.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30

They tell good story in Chicago of
Phil Armour in connection with his
200, 90 mission chapel He wanted
il to be undenOminat.onal and broadly
religious One day he sent for the
preacher who had charge and said
You're giving these youngsters too
much grape and canister He'll lire and
birthstone are all right for old sinners,
but the mission isn't for them. Now
want YOU 70 change around and try
another plan. If you don't you'll drive
all those children away. When you
begin your service in the morning you
can read a chapter from the Bible
something short Then have little
prayer, something shOrt-not longer
than that" measuring OFF about foot
with his forefngers, Then | want you
to sing-sing a good many times. Then
tell story, something with point to
it and moral, but short Then YOU
have another little prayer, but mind
you. no longer than that holding up
his hands about six inches apart. The
minister said he'd try, and the mission
has been run on Armour's plan ever
since, and the seats are all full every
Sunday.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Stick to Coffee.

The consumption Of coffee in En-
land is on the decrease. A bad sig
1t means more beer. The coffee drin
ing nations are temperate -Atlas
Csnstsiustesa
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
A Fancy Picture.

He wears dapper Derby hat
Which he would call "tle,"
His linen and hrs gay cravat
Are OF the latest style.
His clothes by Poole, OF London fame.
Are fsultless In their 1T
They ornament his manly frame
And he's aware OF IL.
"A perfect YOUTH" you'd cay at once,
m And get 1t wrong again,
orttor he 10 just perfect Ounce
lie has a misht brain.
-Som-vtIls Jopr-,al
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Nearly Right.

ing Do you know any thing I
' ;nn nson's reputation for veracity
M ought to stand very high.
II, me his new dog cost him
pni paid Dumley $40 for it, Aman
~ confine himself as closely &
id, tn as that when talking aboot
viy deserves the confidence q
ie.ymmunity." The Epoch
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30
Who Supported Atlas?

I'd 00S' 11SE"s'
TIC Now, Mary Ann" said the teach
INTERESTING the foremost OF the class
,eh thology. who was it that suppS
nethe world on his shoulders ?"
intIt was Atlas. ma'am."
a"And who supported Atlas ?"
he The book dosen't say. bat / .
Dot wife supported him. am
toiday National.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-30

Another warning against the cigar
cite habit comes from Philadelphia,
where boy OF sixteen is found to have
Died from nicotine poisoning. He was
Vi the habit it is stated. Of smoking
B ,enty or more cigarettes day. A
o months only have passed since a
II known young man died in New
I mk CITY from similar cause. II
Tvs don't learn wisdom in this matter
will not be the result of the energetic
! fotcsts nature is making. or Of the
Were Lessons abe u teaching
Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-29
Dividends of Local Companies.

During the first week in January the fol- lowing local concerns will pay their regular dividends: The New Haven Gas Light com pany the quarterly 211I per cent. dividend on capital of $1, ,000, 900; the New Haven Wa ter company g semi-annual per cent. divi- dend on $1 ,406, ,250; Shore Line railroad 31S per cent. semi-annual on $1 1000, ,000. The New York, New Haven and Hartford rail- road will pay about $75, ,000 on the 21S quar- terly dividend to local holders of stock, and the Northampton about $15,O0 on the 5 per cent annual.
 The Northampton railroad will pay Janu- ary 10 the semi-annual interest on S1 ,30O,- 900 first mortgage sevens, the larger portion of which are held in this city. The same corporation also pays January 21S per cent. on the new convertible 5 per cent. bonds
 The Fort Bascom Cattle Raising company, of which one-half the stock is held by the Waddingham family, will pay 21s per cent. on s260, ,000; 0. Cowles &c O., per cent. on $1OO, ,O0O; the $. N. B. Telephone company, l1a per cent. (quarterlyl and the New Haven Electric company, 3 per cent. The market value of stocks of local banks has appreciated some on account of the failure of E. S. Wheeler & Co.,, but this will be only tempo rary.
 The noticeable reductions in rates of divi- dends are: Mechanics bank, from 211S to 3 per cent; City bank, from 3 to per cent. Merchants bank, from 31l to 8 per cent.
 During the past few months the New Ha- ven Electric company has increased it's oapi- tai from $15O,000 to $200, 900; the Security $500, ,000
Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-29
RARE TREAT.

Detective Brewer Talks Before she
 Young Mems Christian Association
 on Detective werk.
 Last evening Detective James P Brewer who has long been a terror to evil doers in this city, gave familiar talk on detective work to the members and friends of the Young Mems Christian association in their hall in the Adelphi building in this city Mr. Brewer said that he had never before at- tempted to address an audience and hoped that nothing that he might suggest would tempt any among his auditors to attempt to beat an officer. While the speaker was very successful in carrying out his expressed pur- pose-to disclose none of the secrets of his profession-yet because of the perpetual va r1ety of such cases he was able, without dis closing any names, to relate incidents in his own personal experience as Q professional detective which very forcibly illustrated the immense value of the services of the detec- tives in city of the size and importance of New Haven. Mir. Brewer rscited incidents of the most thrilling interest in the unassum- ing, modest manner characteristic of him in ordinary conversation, and the large audience who were 80 fortunate as to be present were unanimous in their expression of qualification with his remarks and disappointed that he did not detain them longer
 The next lecture in this interesting Y. M. 0. A. course will be given Wednesday even- ing, January II, by Attorney Henry 0. White. His subject will be 'fCity govern ment; it's development and status iu the United States"
Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-29
Poultry Show Notes.

The second annual exhibition of the Vest ern Massachusetts Poultry association opened at the City Hall in Holyoke Tuesday even ing with splendid display of birds of all breeds and varieties from the diminutive bantam to the Leghorns, Brahmas and Cochins. Among the largest exhibits are those of 0. c. Montague & Bro. of Amherst, who have more than one hundred fowls in the hall; Colonel R. J. Hamilton of Spring field, who has fifty or more; G. 0. Tait and J. Baldwin of Chicopes, D. A. Nichols of Munroe, Ct., c. P. Jewett of Amherst, G. L. Kent of Belchertown, L. T. Besserer of Holyoke, J. H. Seelye of Bridgeport, Ct., 0. A. Ballou of Worcester, L. A. Jepson of Adams. E. B. Holden of Holyoke, c. P. Jor- dan of New Haven, D. w. Spaulding of Bel lows Falls, Vt., J. Smith of Dalton, c. E. Bridges of South Deer6eld and c. M. Knight of Windsor Locks.
Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-29
CRITICAL ILLNESS
Of Augustus Lines-NOW Ninety.One
 Years of Age.

Of Augustus Lines-NoW Ninety.One
 Years of Age.
 MT. Augustus Lines lies very low at his residence on Olive street, corner of Graad MT. Lines is in his 92d year. He was able to be about town last Friday. He is very feeble and greatly prostrated. There seems to be no particular disease, only the breaking up of ths vital forces. Dr. Cheney is attending him. MT. Lines is not only one of the old. est but one of the most prominent of our oldest citizens, having years ago been tax assessor for long time in the days when New Haven had 30,000 or 10000 people, and prominently connected with the management of our local school system before the days of our present graded school system. MT. Lines is also man of considerable wealth, his property being estimated at about a quarter of million dollars He is also director in the National New Haven bank. Last night it was not thought certain that the case would terminate fatally, but owing to his advanced age his recovery was considered exceedingly doubtful. His mind was at last accounts very clear, trait of mind for which he was distinguished among our townsmen when in public office, especially with relation to financial matters. Mr. Lines is one of our oldest personal landmarks and gentleman highly esteemed for his uprightness and in tegrity.